Well, well, well. It's d&eacute;j&agrave; vu all over again. It feels like only yesterday when I was writing about some possible Fallout 4 release date news cropping up at PAX East … 2013. But here we are. It's 2014 and we're going through the motions once again. Although Bethesda hasn't confirmed a damn thing, fans have been anticipating confirmation of a Boston-based Fallout 4 game ever since Kotaku broke the news that Bethesda did some casting for the title. And now Bethesda's PR kingpin Pete Hines has confirmed they will have a booth at the upcoming Boston-based gaming convention

There's Prey 2, for one thing - Human Head's open world action project has been floating in limbo for years, and may have been transferred to another studio, reportedly Dishonored developer Arkane. For another, there's id Software's even more overdue DOOM 4, which has allegedly been sent back to square one after a period of mismanagement, presumably not helped by the departure of programming guru John Carmack. And finally, the increasingly mythical Fallout 4, the subject of many a fan hoax in recent months.

PR sources continue to observe radio silence in regards to all these titles. It's probable they won't budge as regards the below job listings, either, which suggest that Bethesda Game Studios has another Elder Scrolls or Fallout-style RPG on the boil. Hardly the most shocking news, no - we already know that Skyrim game director Todd Howard has a game on the boil that's "100% unrelated" to the forthcoming Elder Scrolls Online.

Mo Mozuch, IDT: "I commented on Bethesda's arrogance before, especially with how they handled the whole Survivor2299 hoax. I really balk at the notion that fans just love Fallout so much we'll buy it even if Bethesda chooses to treat us like idiots in the run-up to the game. By not commenting on Fallout 4 Bethesda opens the door for fans to be misled again and again. Survivor2299 wasn't even the most recent hoax. A fake e-mail claiming a Fallout 4 announcement made the rounds a few weeks ago. So now hoaxers are getting into people's emails? Why won't Bethesda just stop this madness already?"

I thought this was odd, as well. I get that companies aren't obligated to comment every time someone hoaxes their products, but this one went a bit too far— yet we heard zero from Bethesda until it was exposed. Free hype/viral marketing, sure. But it rubbed people the wrong way.

What makes you think Fallout 4 and Elder Scrolls 6 will be online? It's a different studio making the other games it's called ZeniMax Online.

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory
I thought this was odd, as well. I get that companies aren't obligated to comment every time someone hoaxes their products, but this one went a bit too far— yet we heard zero from Bethesda until it was exposed. Free hype/viral marketing, sure. But it rubbed people the wrong way.

I agree most developers would of closed, or responded faster when this happens.

I can't think of another major developer that makes a game anywhere near as complex and huge as a Bethesda game. That's why. I imagine we'll get Fallout 4 for Xmas season this year. Either November or December. Skyrim's successor won't hit the market till 2017. I wish it wasn't so. I personally would give up the Fallout franchise to get TES games every 3-3 1/2 years.

Originally Posted by guenthar
I don't understand why they don't make more then 1 game at a time like pretty much every other major developer does.

Because they're dedicated to doing something big that they're good at.

I, for one, appreciate that.

I would NOT want to trade Fallout for TES exclusivity. I really like what they're doing with both - and I can't wait for FO4. Besides, I'm getting Tamriel in less than 3 months - so I'll have my hands full with TES soon enough.

Originally Posted by crpgnut
I can't think of another major developer that makes a game anywhere near as complex and huge as a Bethesda game. That's why. I imagine we'll get Fallout 4 for Xmas season this year. Either November or December. Skyrim's successor won't hit the market till 2017. I wish it wasn't so. I personally would give up the Fallout franchise to get TES games every 3-3 1/2 years.

I would be fine with that as I never have been able to get into the fallout games.

But man , could you imagine the s*** storm and PR nightmare that decision would cause.

Originally Posted by crpgnut
Skyrim's successor won't hit the market till 2017. I wish it wasn't so. I personally would give up the Fallout franchise to get TES games every 3-3 1/2 years.

Elder Scrolls Online will, if I had to guess, cap the franchise for the next half-decade at least. For one, I'm starting to agree with publications in that there's little chance it makes back its (rumored) $200+ million production cost. That's a helluva lot of money for a studio like Bethesda. Can you imagine what a commercial collapse of this game could mean? I doubt it will happen, but even Forbes is predicting a "disaster". That may kill the franchise entirely.

Second, for those who do decide to pay $60 for the online game and then $15/month, they'll get their fix for the next several years as Bethesda rapid-fires content upgrades as a lesson-learned from BioEA's SW: Old Republic early stumbles. There's a burnout factor to consider.

I liked Skyrim, but have zero interest in it myself considering the cost and subscription combined with the fact that it will be a bloated year for RPG gaming options.

And I'd be fine if Bethesda gets out of the Fallout business— provided they give everything back to Obsidian.

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory
That's a helluva lot of money for a studio like Bethesda. Can you imagine what a commercial collapse of this game could mean? I doubt it will happen, but even Forbes is predicting a "disaster". That may kill the franchise entirely.

No. F:BoS didn't kill the franchise so a possible MMO fail also won't do it.

What it can kill is more MMO TES games and also can remind others not to use the money from singleplayer success in nonsingleplayer genre.

And unlike some others I won't cry if it turns into a disaster as I won't be playing it. There are many existing and upcoming singleplayer games without Bethesda (c)(TM) endless respawning crap covered by fetch grind boredom.